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Notes and quotes before tonight's game

In Jeremy Guthrie's 17 losses since the start of the 2010 season, the Orioles have scored 24 runs while he was in the game (1.41 runs per game), and 39 total (2.29 runs per game). They've scored three runs or fewer in 21 of his 36 starts, and eight runs in his four starts this year. They've scored two runs in his last three starts while he's been in the game.

Guthrie has lost seven straight games to the Red Sox, and the Orioles have lost his last nine starts against them.

"I think Jeremy has been around look enough to know that there are certain things that he can control and can't control - who is going to be pitching against him with the other team, how are you going to do things offensively, and how are you going to play defense," manager Buck Showalter said. "You have to do what you do and realize that his body of work is pretty good. I don't think that's something that's good on your mind. I don't think Jeremy spends a lot of time on it. He just stays tunnel vision about what he has to do.

"One of the obvious things to compete against top-shelf, quality starting pitching, like Boston has, is your pitcher has to pitch well, and if he pitches well, there are a lot of possibilities there. You keep putting pressure on the other pitcher to very good, also. Obviously, (Josh) Beckett is pitching very well this year.

"You want to have some margin of error, but we haven't provided that for (Guthrie) very much."

As you know, Zach Britton picked up his fourth win last night to set the franchise record for victories in April by an Orioles rookie starter. Did you know the previous mark of three was set by Carl Weilman of the 1913 St. Louis Browns, Jack Ogden of the 1928 St. Louis Browns and Willis Roberts of the 2001 Orioles?

Britton was the only Oriole rookie starter to record three wins before April 21.

Britton became just the fourth rookie starter in baseball history to record four wins by the end of April, joining Gustavo Chacin (2005 with Toronto), Jason Dickson (1997 with Anaheim) and Jerry Garvin (1977 with Toronto).

Brian Roberts is batting .327 with three doubles, a homer, four RBIs and three runs scored during his 12-game hitting streak.

After enduring an 0-for-22 stretch, Reynolds has a double, homer, sacrifice fly and three RBIs in his last seven plate appearances.

The Orioles have scored 51 runs in their nine victories (5.7 runs per game) and 30 runs in their 12 losses (2.5 runs per game).

Here's what Showalter said about Cesar Izturis donning the catching gear earlier today:

"I don't know if you'd call him a third catcher, but he's (the emergency) catcher. I talked to him a little about it this spring, but didn't get into the approach with him because he had other things to worry about. We got to the point where John Russell is going to let him catch some in the bullpen.

"The big thing, and it doesn't surprise anybody who knows Izzy, is that he's willing to do it. It doesn't surprise anybody. He helps us with a lot of things that don't necessarily show up on a statistical sheet. If I would have taken a straw vote on who would like to volunteer for it, it probably wouldn't have gotten done. He enjoys the equipment and the look and everything. I don't know how much he'll like the practice of doing it in the game. I hope that doesn't happen."

I mentioned last night that Double-A Bowie outfielder Jeff Fiorentino was removed for a pinch-hitter in the second inning. Fiorentino was ill and came out of the game. Nothing serious, I'm told.